California Chrome not sick, barn says

BALTIMORE — Early Thursday morning, the equine alarms went off when ESPN reported that California Chrome reported that the Kentucky Derby champion coughed a few times when he was coming off the track after his morning exercise at Pimlico Race Course.

When a horse coughs, it is usually a sign that he is sick or getting sick. And, if California Chrome was sick or getting sick, he would not be running in the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes here on Saturday.

As soon as word broke that horse racing’s latest superstar was sick, the people closest to him began the process of putting out the fire.

Art Sherman is the 77-year-old trainer of California Chrome. His stable, Sherman Racing, put out a statement, saying their prized thoroughbred, is fine.

“Chrome is fine,” the statement said. “All reports to the contrary are false.”

California Chrome may have coughed when he left the track on Thursday, but there was a reason for that, the barn said. And it has nothing to do with being sick. The stable said the horse has a small blister in his throat, and they were told by veterinarians that it itches and causes California Chrome to cough.

“This did not affect his training (Thursday) nor will it affect his status in the race Saturday,” the statement said. “He is eating and acting normal and this is a non issue.”

The statement also said that California Chrome had blood drawn and was scoped on Thursday. Everything came back fine, the statement said.

California Chrome is the 3-5 morning line favorite to win the Preakness and add the second leg of the Triple Crown to his resume. He won the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago in Louisville.